7 Simple Spring Pasta Recipes

All you need are noodles, olive oil, and a trio of key ingredients to toss together something great. Perfect your pasta by keeping your noodles from sticking together: Use 4—6 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt per pound. Stir frequently while cooking.

Time saver alert: Use sausage to create these easy meatballs.

Ingredients: orecchiette, broccoli rabe, olive oil, Italian sausage, garlic cloves

Calories: 405

Try this recipe:Orecchiette with Sausage Meatballs, Broccoli Rabe, and Garlic

Ingredients:

whole-wheat spaghetti, lemon, asparagus, Parmesan cheese, olive oil

Calories: 500

Try this recipe:Spaghetti with Asparagus and Lemon

Ingredients:

dry orzo, baby arugula, crumbled feta cheese, olive oil, bell peppers

Calories: 267

Try this recipe:Orzo-Stuffed Peppers

Easy upgrade: Mint freshens up any veggie pasta.

Ingredients: whole-wheat penne pasta, pesto, tuna, Kalamata olives

Calories: 365

Try this recipe:Tuna and Olive Pasta Salad

Fast Flavor: Just toss together store-bought pesto, tuna, and olives.

Ingredients: shells, frozen peas, baby carrots, olive oil, fresh mint leaves

Calories: 385

Try this recipe:Shells With Peas, Carrots, and Mint

Pick a better marinara: Look for one that doesn't contain added sugar and lists tomatoes, not tomato purée, as the first ingredient.

Ingredients: fettuccine, olive oil, zucchini, crushed red pepper, marinara sauce

Calories: 539

Try this recipe:Fettuccine With Spicy Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

Prep Tip: to clean leeks, trim them, slice in half lengthwise, and immerse in a bowl of cold water, shaking gently to release debris. drain on paper towels before slicing.

Ingredients: bacon, pappardelle pasta, leeks, cherry tomatoes

Calories: 370

Try this recipe:Pappardelle With Tomato And Bacon